Why You Should Never Cut Your Cuticles? Do This Instead!

Manicure is not just choosing color and nail art. It is a way to keep the health of your entire nail area as well, including the cuticles.

Cutting the cuticles is done in most salons, but is it right? Actually, it is not. Cuticles are there for a reason. They connect the skin around the nail to the nail plate and protect them from infection. By clipping our cuticles we give the germs an open way to form fungal infections, such as yeast, viruses like herpes or warts, and bacteria including paronychia.

Unfortunately, infections are not the only issue. After leaving the salon, your nails may look nice for a few days, but in time your cuticles will become ragged and painful. Also, you may notice white spots or edges if there is trauma to the part where fingernails grow from.

Cuticles should not be cut. They need to be soft, while clipping can make them hard, increasing the tendency to split off.

Instead of clipping, just gently push the cuticles back, which previously should be well-oiled, with an orange stick. After you push the cuticles back, cut away any leftover dead skin. Do this carefully.

This is how you should push back your cuticles:

– Prepare a bowl of warm water and soak your nails in it for 5-10 minutes. Also, you can add a few drops of essential oil to the water. It will make the cuticles soft and flexible. When pushing them back, they will lift easily and won’t stick.

– Use a clean towel to dry your fingers, so the orange stick won’t slip while pushing.

– Apply a moisturizer to your cuticles and rub in a little. You can use Vaseline too.

– Gently push the cuticles toward the base of the nails.

– Moisturize your cuticles frequently in order to keep them soft and in good condition.

Try not to bite your nails or use chemicals on your fingers, like acetone-based nail polish remover. This can dry and crack the cuticles and cause an infection.